The Israeli raid to free hostages in the Palestinian Nuseirat camp in the Gaza Strip, which led to the death of hundreds of civilians, as well as the holding of hostages by Palestinian factions in densely populated areas could be regarded as war crimes. This was stated at a briefing in Geneva by the official representative of the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), Jeremy Lawrence.
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“We are deeply shocked by the impact on the civilian population of the operation by Israeli forces in Nuseirat to free four hostages,” Lawrence said. “Hundreds of Palestinians, many of them civilians, are reported to have been killed and wounded. The manner in which the raid was carried out in such a densely populated area area, seriously calls into question whether Israeli forces complied with the principles of selectivity, proportionality and precaution set out in the laws of war.”
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OHCHR, the spokesman continued, “is also deeply concerned that Palestinian armed groups continue to hold numerous hostages, the majority of whom are civilians, in a manner prohibited by international humanitarian law.” By holding hostages in such densely populated areas, “armed groups are exposing the lives of Palestinian civilians, as well as the hostages themselves, to additional risks as a result of the fighting.”
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“All these actions by both sides can be equated to war crimes,” Lawrence stated.
